Professor slammed for BF during class

[Palestrina]

Students are upset when a professor decided to BF her baby during class. The class is ironically titled "Sex, Gender & Culture," a female anthropology class.

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/lisa-belkin/breastfeeding-professor_b_1878475.html

 

[helen_beee]

Good on her I say! I'll feed me son if he is hungry regardless of where we are. She had no option but to take her child with her other than to cancel the class and why waste expressed milk (liquid gold!!) when you don't need to Considering the title of the class you would think the students would be a little more open minded

 

[chipsticks]

I wouldn't be to impressed with her bringing her baby to class anyway. It's not day care. Cancel the class!

 

[helen_beee]

I wouldn't be to impressed with her bringing her baby to class anyway. It's not day care. Cancel the class!

I would much prefer one of my lecturers brought their child with them than having to find a later date to make up what had been missed. My lecturers allow us to bring in our children if we need to so I see no reason to be unhappy if they did the same

 

[dizz]

I wouldn't be to impressed with her bringing her baby to class anyway. It's not day care. Cancel the class!

I'd be annoyed if it was my education that I was paying through the nose (add in an arm and a leg, both arms and legs if you're reading this post in the future) and the lecturer's mind wasn't fully on the job they were being PAID to do - and their mind wouldn't fully be on the job if they had their baby in the class with them.

That's leaving the breastfeeding politics out of it and just focusing on them having their baby in class. I home-tutor kids - one of my tutee's parents has said if I need to to bring the baby with me and she'll have an hour's cuddles while I tutor - I'd never take her up on even that level of offer - I don't think it's appropriate behaviour - when I'm being paid to do a job for the period of time I'm doing it... that's what I'm doing.

I expect a hysterical barrage of at least five posts in the next 10 minutes of how I'm an evil person and mummys' rights trump over all else and assumptions about my own parenting skills.

 

[robinator]

^^^
I totally agree with you. Her responsibility at that point is her class, not her baby. I'd be pissed, too. It's completely distracting and unprofessional.

 

[Palestrina]

I wouldn't be to impressed with her bringing her baby to class anyway. It's not day care. Cancel the class!

I'd be annoyed if it was my education that I was paying through the nose (add in an arm and a leg, both arms and legs if you're reading this post in the future) and the lecturer's mind wasn't fully on the job they were being PAID to do - and their mind wouldn't fully be on the job if they had their baby in the class with them.

That's leaving the breastfeeding politics out of it and just focusing on them having their baby in class. I home-tutor kids - one of my tutee's parents has said if I need to to bring the baby with me and she'll have an hour's cuddles while I tutor - I'd never take her up on even that level of offer - I don't think it's appropriate behaviour - when I'm being paid to do a job for the period of time I'm doing it... that's what I'm doing.

I expect a hysterical barrage of at least five posts in the next 10 minutes of how I'm an evil person and mummys' rights trump over all else and assumptions about my own parenting skills.

I don't think you're awful or evil, it's a valid point. But I think it brings up the important issue of finding help as a parent. This professor is a single parent, her job is the only source of income she has presumably. The way work is viewed in this country (US), is that sick days are for slackers... sorry to say it but that's how it is. I know far far far too many people who go to school or work when they are sick. I know far too many people who don't use up their sick days, even more disturbing, I know people who don't use their vacation-time. So it is not out of the ordinary for any person to choose work over other options.

I'm married, I stay at home with the baby while OH works and then I work in the evenings. We don't have anyone helping us, we can't really afford daycare, and we've never had anyone babysit for us except my parents who live on a different continent and only do so when they are visiting. So I can understand that feeling of "what do I do!!!!" at times of an emergency.

And this was an emergency. I'm sure the mother did not mean to take away from anyone's education, hence why she chose to brave class with a sick child. I certainly would not feel infringed upon on a one-off like this. There needs to be more of a sense of compassion or at least a sense of understanding for the choice this mother made.

 

[Palestrina]

Also, having been a teacher for over a decade I cannot tell you how awful it is to have to contend with dozens of iphones in my classroom. the rules clearly state that it's not appropriate to use cell phones during class and yet at any moment a teacher's classroom can be broadcast on the internet. Or every student in the class has an ongoing facebook status change when they really should be paying attention.

 

[Bevziibubble]

I agree that the baby probably shouldn't have been at the class. But regardless, baby was there and needs to be fed - it's certainly quicker than her having to leave the class and go and sterilise and make up a bottle. I feed my LO anywhere if she is hungry. Luckily no one has ever objected but it wouldn't stop me if they did

 

[robinator]

I wouldn't be to impressed with her bringing her baby to class anyway. It's not day care. Cancel the class!

I'd be annoyed if it was my education that I was paying through the nose (add in an arm and a leg, both arms and legs if you're reading this post in the future) and the lecturer's mind wasn't fully on the job they were being PAID to do - and their mind wouldn't fully be on the job if they had their baby in the class with them.

That's leaving the breastfeeding politics out of it and just focusing on them having their baby in class. I home-tutor kids - one of my tutee's parents has said if I need to to bring the baby with me and she'll have an hour's cuddles while I tutor - I'd never take her up on even that level of offer - I don't think it's appropriate behaviour - when I'm being paid to do a job for the period of time I'm doing it... that's what I'm doing.

I expect a hysterical barrage of at least five posts in the next 10 minutes of how I'm an evil person and mummys' rights trump over all else and assumptions about my own parenting skills.

I don't think you're awful or evil, it's a valid point. But I think it brings up the important issue of finding help as a parent. This professor is a single parent, her job is the only source of income she has presumably. The way work is viewed in this country (US), is that sick days are for slackers... sorry to say it but that's how it is. I know far far far too many people who go to school or work when they are sick. I know far too many people who don't use up their sick days, even more disturbing, I know people who don't use their vacation-time. So it is not out of the ordinary for any person to choose work over other options.

I'm married, I stay at home with the baby while OH works and then I work in the evenings. We don't have anyone helping us, we can't really afford daycare, and we've never had anyone babysit for us except my parents who live on a different continent and only do so when they are visiting. So I can understand that feeling of "what do I do!!!!" at times of an emergency.

And this was an emergency. I'm sure the mother did not mean to take away from anyone's education, hence why she chose to brave class with a sick child. I certainly would not feel infringed upon on a one-off like this. There needs to be more of a sense of compassion or at least a sense of understanding for the choice this mother made.

Then she should have called in sick. Sense of compassion my ass - I'd feel more compassion for a mom who chose to stay home with her sick child than one who brought it on the job and BF'd in front of a slew of college students who have a hard enough time paying attention as it is (according to your iphone/facebook post).

And now she feels her rights are being violated or whatever, boo hoo. She brought it on herself by her choices and now those of us around the world who are up at this ungodly hour have nothing better to do than debate a ridiculous situation.

 

[MommyJogger]

I see nothing wrong with NIP in general because anyone who doesn't like it can look away. But these students' grades depend on them paying attention and looking at the professor. She basically held them hostage and forced them to watch her bf. Who's going to have the balls to get up and calmly walk out of that classroom if it makes them uncomfortable? And how could doing so not affect their grade when the prof is a woman who thinks it's appropriate to bring her child to class and assumes she has the right to whip out a boob when she's on stage? Class should have been cancelled. Every prof I know pens in a few unscheduled classes to use for catchup/snow days/revision. If you've just got to bring the baby and it really is just a one off, I'd be willing to sacrifice some of my liquid gold for that one feeding and have a grad student/slave watch the baby while I was in class. I've been my boss's dog sitter during his classes before; she can find someone she trusts to watch that baby for 50min. Also: she's in the feminism department, she's probably surrounded by offices of other feminists who want her to succeed at single motherhood and professorship; if her uni is anything like mine, she's not actually lacking in support.

 

[MommyJogger]

Btw, did anyone read the comments? They're the best part of that article, lol.
"Only if she brings enough for everyone."

 

[jenniferttc1]

Wonder if anyone thought maybe this was class related, maybe testing their recation? But anyway shit happens, she did it once I don't see the big deal. Sure its not best to have a baby in class but she thought so at the time

 

[maysiemoo]

All became known because a student tweeted about it in class. What a muppet too busy being disgusted to concentrate . It was obviously a one off no big deal. Liquid gold is great if you can store it correctly on this one off occasion probably not suitable. she was probably hoping babe would sleep through. If babe was teething quickest and kindest thing is a quick fed.

 

[Celesse]

I can think of some lectures when I was a student where it would have been perfectly fine to have the lecturer nursing her baby whilst talking, and others where not so fine. All depends on size of class, layout of room, topic ect. Biomedical science lecture with 200 students not so good, Ethics lecture with 20 students and lots of discussions not a problem.

 

[Ozzieshunni]

This is very interesting to me because if this happened in say, San Francisco, no one would bat an eye. Nor would they in some of the European countries. I think that people need to get over themselves. If she's feeding the baby and the baby is quiet, who cares? Then again, I guess I'm more liberal than most

 

[Ozzieshunni]

I see nothing wrong with NIP in general because anyone who doesn't like it can look away. But these students' grades depend on them paying attention and looking at the professor. She basically held them hostage and forced them to watch her bf. Who's going to have the balls to get up and calmly walk out of that classroom if it makes them uncomfortable? And how could doing so not affect their grade when the prof is a woman who thinks it's appropriate to bring her child to class and assumes she has the right to whip out a boob when she's on stage? Class should have been cancelled. Every prof I know pens in a few unscheduled classes to use for catchup/snow days/revision. If you've just got to bring the baby and it really is just a one off, I'd be willing to sacrifice some of my liquid gold for that one feeding and have a grad student/slave watch the baby while I was in class. I've been my boss's dog sitter during his classes before; she can find someone she trusts to watch that baby for 50min. Also: she's in the feminism department, she's probably surrounded by offices of other feminists who want her to succeed at single motherhood and professorship; if her uni is anything like mine, she's not actually lacking in support.

This stuck out to me. I'm not sure if you realize how offensive this sounds! Women struggle every day to breastfeed. It's NORMAL AND NATURAL! There is nothing perverse about it. And as for "whipping out a boob" I can BF and no one would even know

 

[bumpbear]

It's unprofessional to take your children to work, let alone actively feed them when you're in the middle of giving a presentation. If she was a lawyer, would it be okay to BF her child whilst cross examining a witness because it's her right as a mother to feed her child? No. There is a time and a place and the workplace is not one of them.

It's not the BF aspect that bothers me, i would have been equally bothered by formula feeding or spoon feeding.

 

[Ozzieshunni]

I think there was a congresswoman who BFed her baby during a session as well....is she wrong?

 

[Andypanda6570]

I don't care what her job is , it should NOT be done. When women breast-feed on the bus, train in the mall, or even in a restaurant or sitting next to me in the park, i don't care at all and I actually think it is beautiful But when you are a proffesional person teaching a class it is wrong, I understand shit happens and maybe she had to bring her baby to work, but in a classroom where you are teaching I am sorry it should not be done. I am pretty sure there is a teachers lounge or somewhere quiet including outside where it could be done.
It is just my opinion ..